THE BIGGEST FURPHIES AROUND ABOUT THE SIEGE AT GLENROWAN.
Whilst most furphies originated in newspapers printed at the time of the siege, modern film and some web sites have perpetuated the errors.
NED KELLY CAPTURED AS HE TRIED TO ESCAPE.
Not likely, Ned had in fact left and returned to the Inn several times. Had he wished to escape he had ample opportunity. He did in fact enter the police lines from their rear.
NED APPEARS FROM WITHIN THE BURNING INN.
This one is perpetual, the claim that Ned blasted his way out the front of the Inn as it burned around him. In reality Ned was captured long before the Inn was even set fire to.
THE BURNT BODIES OF THE THREE OUTLAWS WERE RAKED FROM THE ASHES OF THE INN.
After the fire, the bodies of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were removed from the ashes. Joe Byrne's body was only singed and was removed before the Inn was destroyed.
POLICE KILLED DURING THE SIEGE.
Despite what we saw in the latest Kelly film with Heath Ledger, the only officer of the law wounded was Superintendent Hare. No officers were killed, and apart from Hare, only a tracker received a wound.
CURNOW HELD UP A 'LANTERN' TO STOP THE TRAIN.
Curnow, the school teacher used a candle, not a lantern to alert the police special train.
NED KELLY SHOT AND KILLED MARTIN CHERRY.
Ned Kelly was repeatedly blamed for the shooting of Martin Cherry, the old platelayer. In fact the police shot him with their indiscriminate firing into the building. The following is what appeared in the Herald newspaper of July 2 1880.
DAN & STEVE ESCAPED.
There is a theory held by a small number of people
that Dan & Steve escaped the Inn.
One book even had Dan using the strength of ten men to push apart the boards on
the burning wall to escape. He was said to have lay in a pool of water for days
covered in burns. Naturally this is a load of rubbish, apart from the issue of
strength and the burns, imagine no one noticing him laying so close to the
ruins. That place was picked clean!
Bodies have been exhumed in a quest to find the answer to this question. To date no proof of their escape has been presented.
Statement
as to Cherry’s death.
(The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express 1880)
The Rev A. Gibney’s statement as to Cherry’s death.
In order to ascertain what truth, if any, there was in the statement that the unfortunate line – repairer, Cherry, was shot by Ned Kelly, we this morning telegraphed to the Very Rev A.Gibney, Vicar-General of Perth’ Western Australia, who so bravely rescued the dying man from the flames. The very rev. gentleman courteously sent the following reply, which goes far to refute the statements made this morning:-
“Albury.
“Cherry became unconscious on being carried out of the little back house where he lay. He made no statement. His mate told me Cherry was shot by the police.”
It is only fair that this should be given full prominence to, for in all consciousness Ned Kelly’s crimes are more than sufficient for one wretch to bear without being charged with another infamous and cold-blooded act, which he did not commit. There can be no doubt that Cherry’s death was caused by the reckless firing of the police. All accounts agree that after Ned Kelly left the hotel he never got back, and Cherry was undoubtedly alive when Ned left.